And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

GENESIS 2:21KJV
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Genesis 2:21 (KJV)

What does Genesis 2:21 mean?

Genesis 2:21 describes how the LORD God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, then took one of Adam’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. This verse explains the beginning of the creation of woman, showing that God took a part of Adam’s own body to form her.

Here, the LORD God (the personal, covenant name for God) is acting directly in the story. Adam is alone in the garden, and God puts him into a deep, unusual sleep. While Adam is unconscious, God removes a rib and closes up the wound, setting the stage for the creation of Eve in the next verse.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 2:21

  • LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal name for God, emphasizing His direct and caring involvement in creating humanity.
  • sleep (תַּרְדֵּמָה, tardemah): This word means a deep or heavy sleep, not just ordinary rest, suggesting that Adam was completely unaware and passive during this event.
  • ribs (צֵלָע, tsela): This word can mean “side” or “rib,” and here it refers to a part taken from Adam’s side, highlighting the closeness and shared nature of man and woman.
  • closed up (סָגַר, sagar): This verb means to shut or close up, showing that God carefully tended to Adam’s body after taking the rib.

Why Genesis 2:21 matters

  • Genesis 2:21 highlights that woman was created from man’s own body, which sets up the idea of shared origin and deep connection between man and woman in the following verses.
  • The verse shows God’s personal care and involvement in the creation process, not just speaking things into existence but actively shaping humanity.
  • Understanding the deep sleep and the rib helps clarify that this was a unique, miraculous event, not something ordinary or repeatable, which shapes how later readers understand the relationship between men and women.

Where else these words appear

“sleep” Hebrew H8639 · used in 7 verses

  • Genesis 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
  • Job 4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
  • Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

“Adam” Hebrew H121 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
  • Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
  • Joshua 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

“slept” Hebrew H3462 · used in 19 verses

  • Genesis 41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
  • Job 3:13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
  • Proverbs 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

“ribs” Hebrew H6763 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
  • Exodus 36:31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
  • 1 Kings 6:34 And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.